Burial-vault.



a a H. 9 LI w I o. a I H I. I H a W a I w t :z a

W. E. HAWORTH.

BURIAL VAULT.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 27, 1902.

. character. having a double seal or closure other with a depending flange adapted to be corresponding parts section, the latter being provided with a cludes a bottom section 5 preferably recbarren srarns rarnnr ora ion.

WILLIAM E. HAWORTH, or RIDGE FARM, ILLINOIS.

suntan-Vanni.

No. @31,2'99. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 17, 1909.

Appiication filed July 27, 1908. Serial No. crates.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM E. Hawonra, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ridge ltarm, in the county of Vermilion and State of Illinoiahaveinvented a new and useful Burial-Vault, of which the following is a specification. a

This invention relates to burialvaults and has for its object to provide a strong, du-

extende'd downwardly for engagement with rable and thoroughly eificient device of this the upper surface of the flange 6', thereby to forma housingfor the bottom section and assist in preventing any water or moisture in the grave from entering theinterior of the vault. a 1 Secured to or formed integral with the exterior wallsof the lower section 5 is a ver tically disposed flange 8, the latter having its upper edge spaced from the lower form apocket 9 for the reception of a quantity of cement, mortar or other adhesive material, indicated at 10.

Arrangedwithin the upper section 7 and preferably formed integral therewith is a depending flange 11 adapted to be embedded in the cement l0,'thereby to form a seal or closure at the top of the vault.

Formed in the flange "11 are one or more vent openings 12 to permit the escape of gas generated within the vault by. the decomposition of, the body, said vent opening being normally closed by a suitable valve 13 yieldably held to its, seat by a leaf spring 14.

Attention is here called to the fact that the valve 13 is arranged above the upper longitudinal edge of the groove forming flange 8 so as to prevent the with the operation of said valve.

thereby to render the vault practically air and moisture proof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a vault including top and bottom sections, one of which is provided with a cement receiving groove or pocket and the embedded in the cement in said pocket to form a seal at the upper edge of the vault.

A further" object is to provide a vault in which the vertical walls of the top section overlap the side and end walls of the bottom marginal flange at the base thereof for en gagement with the, lower longitudinal edge of said top section. a

A; still further object is to provide improved means for locking the top and bottom sections of the vault in closed position, and means for permitting the escape of gas from the interior of the vault.

Further objects and advantages will ap pear in the following description, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may b resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings fol-min a part of this specification: Figure 1 is a perspective View of a vault constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the. same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view. Flg. 4 is a detail vertical sectional view -of the valve. I Similar numerals of reference indicate in all of thefigures of protected by the depending skirt of the'top section, while the outward movement of sand valve is limited by engagement with the in terior wall of the skirt so as to prevent the valve from being entirely dislodged from the vent opening in case of excessive gas pressure.

The depending vertical walls or skirt of \the upper .section are spaced from the-exterior walls of the lower section to form a circumferential air chamber, and disposed within said chamber and riveted or otherwise rigidly the bottom section 5 are one pr more spring locking members 16 adapted to engage suitable catches 17 fastened to the vertical walls of the top'section.

the drawings. K v I The improved burial vault forming subject matter of the present invention intangular in shape, as shown, and formed of metal, glass, concrete, POICBlfllIl or other suitable material, said bottom section being open sidegand end walls of the top'section being section to It will also be noted that the valve 13 is,

' The catches 1,7 are inclined or beveled so that when the top section is positioned over the bottom section of the vault the inclined face of the catch will move the locking member 16 laterally to permit the passage of the same, the spring or locking member automatically returning to normal position above the catch thereby to prevent an unauthorized person from opening the vault.

The bottom section 6 is preferably high enough to prevent any water that may be present in the bottom of the grave from entering the interior of the vault, the seal at the top of the vault forming an effective closure at the juncture of the top and bottom sections. A

In usin the vault the bottom section 5 is first positioned within the grave after which the casket is lowered within the bottom section and the top section placed over the bottom section open end down.

. As the top section is positioned over the bottom section'the depending flange 11 will tions, or both.

enter the cement in the groove 8, while the lower longitudinal edges of the top section will bear against the marginal flange 6, the locking devlce 16 automatically engaging the catch 17, in the manner before stated.

As the top section is lowered the air in the bottom section will be compressed and a portion of the same forced outwardly through the vent opening 12 thus preventing the entrance of water to thetinterior of the vault when sealing the same.-

The end walls of the top section 7 are pref; erably provided with suitable handles 18, there being similar handles 19 formed on the end walls of. the bottom section 5, the latter handles being housed within the chamber 15. I

These handles, however, may be placed on either the end or side walls of the vault see- It will'of course be understood that any number of valves may be employed in connection with the vault and that the locking.

devices maybe arranged on either the side or end walls of the vault, or both. Having thus described the invention what is claimed is: g r. 1. A burial vault includingtop and bottom sections, one of which is provided with a depending flange adapted to entera cement receiving groove formed in the matingseo tion, the vertical side and end walls of the flange carrying section beingextended downwardly over the cement-receiving groove and to the bottom of -.the mating section, thereby to form a housing for said cement-receiving groove. 1

2. A burial-vault including top and bottom sections one of which is provided with a laterally extending flange and the other witha depending flange a apted to enter acement receiving groove formed in the mat 5 receiving groove formed in the mating section, the vertical walls of the flange carrying section being extended downwardly over the cement-receiving groove to the bottom of the mating section to form a housing for said cement-receiving groove, and means for locking said sections in closed osition.

4.=A burial vault includmg a bottom section having its base formed with alaterally extending marginal flange .and its upper portion. provided with a cement receiving groove, a top section having a depending flange ada-pted to enter the said cement receivlng groove and having side walls of approximately the same height as the bottom section and extended downwardly over the cement receiving groove for engagement with the marginal flange of the ,latter, thereby'to form a housing for said cement receiving groove.

5 A burial vault including a bottom section having its base provided with a laterally extending marginal flange and its upper portion formed with a cement receiving groove, 2; top section having adepending ange adaptedto enter the cement receiving groove and provided with vertical Walls, the lower longitudinal edges .of which are extended downwardly over-the cement-receiving groove and adapted to rest on the marginal flange of the bottom section, a catch secured to the vertical walls of the top secto the bottom section for engagement with said catch.

6. A burial vault includin a bottom section having its base provide with a laterally extendlng marginal flange and provided at its upper portion with a cement receiving groove, a top section having a depending flange adapted to be embedded in the cement in said groove and having its vertical walls of approximately the same height as the bottom section and extendingdownwardly over the cement-receivinggroove for engagement with the flange of the bottom section, there being a vent opening formed in said flange, and a spring pressed valve forming a closure for the vent opening.

tion having its' 'base formed with a laterally portion provided with. a cement receiving oove, a top section having a depending e ange adapted to enter the cement in the groove and provided with vertical walls of approximately the same height as the botextending marginal flange and its upper;

tion, and a spring locking member secured u 7. A burial vault including a bottom sec- I tom section and extended downwardly over the cement-receiving groove for engagement with the flange of the bottom sect-ion to form a housing for said cement-receiving groove, there being a vent opening formed in the depending flange, a valve seated in said vent' opening, a spring bearing against the Valve, sald valve being protected by the ad aCent "(Wt-10511 wall ot the top section and arranged 10 to bear against the inner face of said Wall I for limiting the opening movement of said WILLIAM E. HAWVORTH.

Witnesses:

MONROE EWING, J. T. LEWIS. 

